


I Could Fall In Love With You

by larrymylove



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Budding Love, College, Flirting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-21
Updated: 2015-10-21
Packaged: 2018-04-27 12:00:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5047678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/larrymylove/pseuds/larrymylove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>College AU where Harry has been sick and has missed class, so the professor suggests he gets the notes from Louis after class.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Could Fall In Love With You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pbandjsamwich](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pbandjsamwich/gifts).



> Just something cute and light I wrote for the gorgeous and lovely Holli, who I can talk to for 7+ hours with on the phone, and we never run out of things to say. You’re absolutely wonderful and I am so glad 1D brought us together! Also, I may have included a few OTH references for you, love! Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Title from "I Could Fall In Love" By Selena

 

Harry Styles felt sick to his stomach as he headed into the lecture hall for the first time in a week in a half. He’d missed all of last week, and part of this week, thanks to a horrendous stomach flu. And while he adored days off from school - lounging in bed and watching Netflix, he had missed the routine of school. He hadn’t been out of his house in the whole eleven days. Finally though, he’d started to feel better. The only problem now was he knew he was so far behind in his classes. He was terrified there’d be no way for him to catch up - and his stomach felt queasy with nerves.

His professor was already setting up the usual powerpoint presentation as Harry entered the lecture hall. Harry took a deep breath and made his way over to Professor Scott. Professor Scott was one of Harry’s favorite professors. His outlook on dissecting literature was fascinating to Harry. He just hoped he wasn’t too far behind in this course. Professor Scott glanced up when Harry cleared his throat.

“Ah, Mr. Styles,” Professor Scott smiled warmly, “It’s good to see you again.”

“Yes, I’m glad to be back,” Harry rocked on his feet slightly, “Um...I was wondering if you got my emails.”

“I did. You aren’t too far behind, fortunately. There is a test next week on Monday over the book we’ve been reading, An Unkindness of Ravens. Have you been doing the reading during the time you were out sick?”

“Yes,” Harry nodded, “I’ve been keeping on top of the reading assignments.”

“Good, good. Well, all I can suggest is getting the notes from someone in class. I’ve been doing chapter outlines and those would be so helpful for the test. Do you have a friend in this course, Harry?”

“No, no I don’t. My roommate is a Business Major and he isn’t taking this course. And I uh...I sort of keep to myself.”

“Got it. Well let’s see. How about you get the notes from…” Professor Scott scanned the lecture hall. His eyes fell on a boy in the middle row, “Him,” he said plainly. Harry followed his gaze. The boy he was referencing, Harry had seen around campus numerous times. He was kind of hard to miss, really. He had a large group of friends and Harry always saw them on campus. And this boy was always so loud. You could hear him laughing and talking animatedly all the way across the cafeteria. And he was absolutely stunning - all tan skin and blue eyes and delicate features. Harry would be lying if he said he hadn’t been taken by this boy from the get-go. He just never really had the courage to strike up conversation with him. In all honesty, the boy intimidated Harry a little.

“Him?” Harry asked. Upon feeling the attention on him, the boy glanced up from where he was doodling stick figures in the side margins of his notebook.

“Me?” He asked. And his voice was softer and quieter than Harry had heard. Usually he was loud and brash. But right now, even in the midst of the lecture hall, it seemed as if it were just the three of them. And Harry quite wanted to hear him speak more like this.

“Yes, Mr. Tomlinson. Mr. Styles has been absent the past week or so. Could you perhaps meet up after class and give him your notes to copy?”

“Uh, yeah. I can do that.”

“Great, thank you, Louis,” Professor Scott smiled, turning back to his laptop.

Harry smiled gratefully and made his way over to the empty seat next to Louis. At least now he had a reason to strike up conversation with this boy.

“Thank you,” Harry said, pulling out his copy of An Unkindness of Ravens and his notebook, “I appreciate that.”

“No problem,” Louis shrugged, “Everyone gets sick sometimes. You okay now?”

“Yeah. Just a touch of the stomach flu I think,” Harry grimaced. That wasn’t exactly smooth conversation.

“ ‘m sorry,” Louis said, then, “Not gonna puke on me, are you?” A soft grin breaking out across his face. Harry felt his insides turn to melted chocolate.

“I’ll try not to,” Harry matched the gentle grin.

During class, paying attention to Professor. Scott’s lecture ended up being quite hard. Harry couldn’t help but pay more attention to the boy sitting next to him. More often than not, he’d catch Louis already watching him. And Louis would blush and glance back down at his notebook. Harry hadn’t thought Louis could get prettier - apparently he could.

“Pay attention,” Louis hissed teasingly when Harry glanced at him for about the fifth time. They were both smiling.

“ _You_ pay attention,” Harry hissed back.

Louis hid a giggle behind his hand.

After class, they gathered up their things. Louis hoisted his backpack over his shoulder and waited for Harry to finish putting his things away.

“You wanna go to the study room?” Louis asked.

“Sure,” Harry nodded, following Louis out the lecture hall. In the same building of the lecture hall, there was a private room where you could study in peace and quiet. Not a lot of people used the study rooms though. Harry couldn’t help the butterflies in his tummy at the thought of being alone with Louis.

“Here we are,” Louis said, opening the door to the study room. He held it open and let Harry go in first. Harry thanked him and sat down at the square table in the middle of the room. Louis tossed his backpack on the table and sorted through his things, finding the notes that Harry had missed.

“Here you go,” Louis passed him his notebook, “Everything you need is on those next few pages. It’s about five pages. Shouldn’t take too long to copy down.”

“Thanks for this,” Harry said, getting situated. He began to copy the first line of notes.

“Are you too behind in any of your other courses?” Louis asked, flicking the chestnut fringe from his eyes.

“Nah, not really,” Harry copied another line, “This is actually my favorite class so I was really worried I was behind. Professor Scott is super understanding.”

“Yeah, he’s one of my favorites,” Louis agreed, “College has never really been my thing. But I like his class a lot.”

“Same. Are you an English major too?” Harry asked.

“Yeah. Want to teach actually. High school English. I had so many shitty teachers as a kid. I want to be a good teacher. Give those students someone who actually gives a shit about them, you know.”

“I know,” Harry nodded, feeling so much fond for this boy, “I think that’s really awesome, Lou.”

He didn’t know where the nickname came from, but Louis blushed and preened and Harry figured that that was worth it.

“Thanks,” Louis said softly, “What about you? Do you want to teach too?”

“Nah,” Harry put his pen down, “I want to write. Novels, poetry, anything and everything I can. I just love writing. Always have. It’s easier, you know? To write your thoughts. It helps me keep my head clear.”

“Gotcha,” Louis nodded, “Well, one day I’m gonna come to your book signing and have you sign my copy for whatever book you write, Harry.”

“I’d have to get published first,” Harry bit back a smile.

“You will,” Louis nodded adamantly, “Trust me, Harry. You’re going to get published and you’re going to be an excellent author. I can just tell.”

“Thank you,” Harry blushed, “But you haven’t even read anything of mine.”

“I just know,” Louis said simply.

Harry went back to copying down Louis’ notes. The mood had shifted slightly in the room. It felt heavy and Harry felt like he could just feel the tension. His arm that was next to Louis’ felt like a live wire. Actually, his whole body felt like a live wire. He tried to focus on copying the notes, but it was difficult. All he could think about was Louis sitting beside him, watching him write. Louis almost seemed transfixed with the way Harry held the pen and wrote each word.

“What does this say?” Harry asked, showing Louis his notebook, “I can’t read that.”

“Um…” Louis squinted at his writing, “I think that mentions how Brooke is a vulnerable character and hides behind her sexuality.”

“Got it,” Harry nodded, copying that down, “Your handwriting is a mess, Louis.”

“What?” Louis gasped, indignantly, “It is not!”

“Lou, you can barely read your own writing,” Harry sighed, shaking his head. He was trying to fight the smile on his face but it was impossible.

“So?”

“So,” Harry rolled his eyes, “It’s an absolute mess!”

Louis poked him in the side with the eraser end of his mechanical pencil, making him jump, “Well Harold, that’s just who I am and if you don’t like it, don’t miss class,” Louis said coolly.

“Excuse me?” Harry raised a brow.

“You heard me,” Louis smirked, flicking the fringe from his eyes.

“Is this an A or an P?”

“Okay, now you’re just making fun of me,” Louis scrunched his nose, a rosy blush staining his cheeks.

“Well yeah,” Harry couldn’t help but grin, “It's fun.”

Louis gasped and Harry smirked, “You get all blushy. You try to act all indignant, but really, you just get all soft and blushy and it’s...cute.”

Harry didn’t know where the burst of confidence came from. He’d never said anything like that to anyone before. But this was Louis and Louis was different. Louis wrapped his arms around his sides, blushing and folding in on himself. How someone could look so soft was beyond Harry. He quite wanted to abandon the English notes and cuddle Louis. But they had just met not even an hour ago. This was all too fast, right? Harry shouldn’t be having those thoughts. But Louis just looked so...cuddleable.

“Shut up,” Louis grumbled, tugging at his lower lip, a huge smile breaking out across his face.

“Never,” Harry returned his attention back to the notes. Louis shifted slightly in the seat beside him, clearly a little put out that Harry’s attention was taken off of him.

“Who’s your favorite character in the book?” Harry asked after a moment, and after Louis shifted and huffed and pretty much did every little thing he could think of to make his presence known and to get Harry’s attention back on him.

“Probably Nathan,” Louis said, flicking his fringe again, “Like...someone who has a redemption story. Someone who isn’t the sins of his father.”

Harry nodded, “Yeah, Nathan is good.”

“My dad was a bit of a prick. I like that Nathan was able to rise above his father’s name and be his own man. I...I kind of want that.”

“You’re not your father, Lou,” Harry turned his attention back to Louis. He twisted slightly in the chair so that he was facing Louis. Their knees knocked against each other as they faced each other, “You aren’t.”

“You don’t know me,” Louis said, his voice so soft it was barely no more than a whisper.

“Maybe not,” Harry didn’t know why he did, but he ran his knuckle along the top of Louis’ knee gently. Louis’ knee jerked slightly and they both smiled, “But maybe I want to.”

“Copy the damn notes, Styles,” Louis huffed, folding his arms over his chest. But he was smiling.

“Not my fault that you’re hand writing sucks, Lou. It’s taking me a while to try to translate.”

“It is not _that_ bad!” Louis cried defensively, “It’s just messy. Messy isn’t bad.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Harry shook his head fondly, turning back to the notebooks on the table.

“Your face is ridiculous,” Louis countered.

“Are you five?”

“Five and a half, thank you very much,” Louis smirked poking at Harry’s earlobe with the lead of his mechanical pencil.

Harry swatted at him, “You’re being a distraction, Lewis.”

Louis’ face lit up, his eyes dancing as he said, “I’ve always got to have someone’s attention on me.”

“I’ll make note of that,” Harry promised, “but right now, I need to focus on copying these notes. We’ve been here for an hour and I’ve only got one page done, Lou.”

“And who’s fault is that, love?” Louis giggled, poking Harry’s cheek - right where his dimple hid - with the eraser end of his pencil.

Harry peered at him, trying to look stern but failing, “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

Louis actually squeaked. And Harry couldn’t help but laugh at the adorable sound that had escaped this boy.

“Or what?” Louis asked, blinking.

Harry just smiled and turned his attention back to copying notes. Louis pouted.

The rest of the afternoon passed like this - Harry would get a few sentences written down, and then he and Louis would banter and giggle. They teased each other relentlessly - Harry teased Louis about his horrific handwriting and Louis would tease Harry for being too much of a perfectionist. They giggled too loudly - poking each other and squeezing each other’s knees under the table. Harry was quickly discovering making Louis blush and giggle was one of his favorite things in the entire world. He was quite certain there wasn’t a more beautiful sound in the world other than Louis Tomlinson’s squeaking little giggle.

Harry was on page three of five of notes when a professor came in and told them to keep it down because they were disrupting the class next door. They’d both turned bright red, shutting up instantly - at least until she’d left.

“You got me in trouble!” Harry scolded.

Louis’ brows shot up, “ _You_ were the one who was tickling me!”

“That was not my fault,” Harry replied casually, “I mean, how does anyone keep their hands off you? Look at you!”

Louis hugged himself, turning bright red and squirmy.

Harry turned back to his notes. He needed to focus. And not just on Louis. He had no idea what he was doing. No one had ever made him feel like this before. He would never be this bold with anyone else. No one had the effect on him Louis did. He was usually shy, quiet. He kept to himself. He expressed himself in journals. He would never be so bold. But Louis made him bold. Louis brought out this side of him. He felt like he could express himself around Louis - felt like he could flirt with him and tease him and make him feel as special as Louis clearly deserved to feel.

When Harry had finally finished copying down the notes, he glanced at the clock on the opposite wall. It was almost seven at night! They had spent the last four hours copying five pages of notes. Of course, the notes was just a small percentage. They mostly had talked - chatted about their families, their friends, their plans for the future. They teased each other and giggled. They talked about how they were both a tad homesick being away at college. Louis missed his sisters and mother more than anything. Harry was struggling being apart from his father - who he considered one of his best friends. They talked about their favorites movies and music. Louis made fun of Harry for liking Love Actually and they got into a heated debate over if Rose had room to let Jack onto the board she was floating on. Time seemed to stand still for them. It was just Harry and Louis. There was nothing else.

“Christ!” Harry blinked at the clock, “It’s seven already!”

“Time flies, huh?” Louis picked at a hangnail, “I guess we should get going, huh?”

“Yeah,” Harry handed Louis back his notebook and began putting his own notes away. He really didn’t want this to be it. He wasn’t qutie ready to say goodbye to Louis just yet. They both put their backpacks on and headed out towards the main entrance of the building. They stopped by the doors, neither one of them knowing really what to say or do from there.

“Lou,” Harry finally said. Louis’ head jerked up enthusiastically - his eyes wide and hopeful.

“Yeah?”

“It’s late and ‘m afraid the cafeteria is closed by now. But...there is a cafe not too far off campus. Would you um...would you like to grab dinner with me there?”

“Depends,” Louis smirked, “You buyin’?”

Harry rolled his eyes, pretending to be put out. Honestly, Harry would figure out how to buy the moon if Louis asked him for it. “I suppose so,” Harry finally said, “Could spoil you rotten if you let me.”

They headed out the doors into the crisp fall air. Harry felt a soft, small hand grab his own - fingers intertwined as Louis said, “I think I could be so inclined, Harold.”

Harry thumbed over Louis’ knuckles, laughing.

“What?” Louis asked.

“Nothing,” Harry shook his head, “Just...never thought I’d be grateful for a stomach flu before.”

Louis giggled, pressing into Harry. They walked the rest of the way in silence, squeezing each other’s hand. When they got to the block the cafe was on, Louis suddenly burst into a fit of laughter.

“What?” Harry asked.

“Nothing,” Louis giggled, “Just...you do know when we get married ‘m gonna tell everyone we met because you were home sick for two weeks puking your guts out into a toilet,” Louis dropped Harry’s hand, still giggling, “Race you to the cafe, you big dork!”

Harry watched in shock as Louis darted ahead. On word was on his mind - when.

“Silly boy!” Harry called after Louis, easily catching up with legs almost twice as long as Louis. He grabbed Louis around the waist, pulling him back against him, “Gotcha,” Harry said, pressing his lips to Louis’ temple.

“Of course you did, Harold,” Louis smirked, “I let you.”

Harry gasped indignantly and tightened his grip on Louis, tickling him.

“Okay okay!” Louis giggled, “You won! I didn’t let you win. You won fair and square. As much as it pains to me say.”

Harry relented, “That’s what I thought,” he said, in a faux stern voice.

Louis rolled his eyes, grinning brightly, cheeks pink and flushed, “Shut up and kiss me, you fool.”

Harry didn’t need to be told twice.


End file.
